(2018) Long Distance Calling: Boundless (English)

Artist: Long Distance CallingAlbum: BoundlessReleased: 02.02.2018Label: Inside Out Music

German Long Distance Calling was a familiar name to me from the past, as Jonas Renkse of Katatonia and Vincent Cavanagh of Anathema had guested on their albums before, but I never delved into their discography. I knew they were an instrumental band, but I wasn’t aware that on the last couple of albums, they had full-time lead vocalists (Martin Fischer on 2013’s The Flood Inside and Petter Carlsen on 2016’s Trips). However, Boundlessis a back-to-basics album that features no singing whatsoever, so getting to know a band through a record that represents their core sound doesn’t seem like a bad idea.

Listen on Spotify here:

Right out of the gate, Boundless opens with the longest song, “Out There”, which is a great mission statement that reveals what the record is all about: diverse rhythms, crunchy riffage, moody soundscapes, and somewhat simple yet creative musicianship. As a unique extra flavor, there’s even some slide guitar – who said it wouldn’t work in metal? “Ascending” is the most streamlinedly heavy song – it starts out with an intense drive, flirts with Tool in its middle section, and finishes with a glorious outro. “In the Clouds” ushers in artsy 80s pop vibes with its ambient keyboards and percussion sounds, but there’s also room for some stylish wah-wah guitar and a fair amount of chunky heaviness. “Like a River” is a stylistic departure from the rest of the record, eschewing metal riffs completely in favor of a musical aesthetic that would be at home on the soundtrack of a Western film. The U2-style vivid delay guitars, violin, and some horn (like?) sounds give the track the right vibe, and Janosch Rathmer’s drumming is particularly cool. Although it’s an anomaly, it’s my favorite song on the whole album thanks to its originality – you don’t hear this kind of mix of sounds every day!

“The Far Side” begins with a riff reminiscent of Fates Warning’s “One”, but is much more relaxed when it comes to the tempo. The middle section with spacey synth leads and the catchy tapping riff towards the end are highlights. “On the Verge” incorporates some electronics and concludes with a symphonic climax – in between there’s also some imaginative bass playing by Jan Hoffmann. “Weightless” lives up to its name, as it’s another tune on the slower and mellower side, and there’s some soulfully melodic guitar soloing. The conclusion, “Skydivers”, is not as strong as the rest and feels like a bit of a repetition of the blueprint of the first couple of songs, but it’s not a bad closer at all, as the aggressively fast bit sticks out as a memorable moment.

As the title implies, Boundless doesn’t stick to a specific niche – after all, one of the advantages of instrumental music is that the songs don’t need to adhere to traditional structures. While there are spots where you can imagine vocals working on top of the music, you never really find yourself missing them or think of the songs as incomplete, although it’s fun to hum along to the music and make up your own melodies on the spot. In the promotional shots and on the album cover, the band members are pictured wandering on mountains, which is a good allegory for the songs themselves: they are little trips with their ups and downs, but the group never loses its way. This is post-metal at its finest and a great start to the musical year!

Rating: 8½/10, 4 stars

Tracklist:
1. Out There
2. Ascending
3. In the Clouds
4. Like a River
5. The Far Side
6. On the Verge
7. Weightless
8. Skydivers